Awning fitting



July 14, 1942 G. F. GRUVER v2,289,837

AWNING FITTING Filed March 27, 1941 I l 11 ven tor A ttaruey PatentedJuly 14, 1942 g UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE AWNIN G FITTING GeorgeFrank Gruver, Little Rock, Ark. Application March 27, 1941, Serial No.385,545

1 Claim.

The present invention relates generally to new and useful improvementsin slide rod awnings and has for its primary object to provide, in amanner as hereinafter set forth, a fitting comprising a novelconstruction and arrangement of ball bearings whereby free and properoperation of the awning frame will be assured at all times.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a fittingof the aforementioned character of such construction that said iittingmay be expeditiously assembled or disassembled.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a fitting of the characterdescribed which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong,durable, highly eii'icient and reliable in use and which may bemanufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, tak-en in connection with the accompanying drawingwherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the sever-a1 views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a slide rod awning equipped withttings constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the device, a portion thereofbeing broken away in section.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view.

Figure 5 is a view in longitudinal section, taken substantially on theline 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the shank or shaft of the male member.

Figure 7 is a detail view in front elevation of the retaining disk.

Figure 8 is a view in taining disk.

Figure 9 is a view in side elevation of a straight fitting with aportion thereof Ibroken away in section.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be observed thatreference numeral I designates an angular cast male member or elbowhaving in one end portion a socket 2 for threadedly receiving the usualextension rods 3 of a conventional slide rod awning which is designatedgenerally at 4. Projecting from the other end of the male member I is anintegral shank or shaft 5.

Rotatable about the shaft 5 is a female member 6 comprising aninternally threaded outer end portion 'I which projects beyondsaid shaft5 for receiving the awning frame. Set screws 8 prevent loosening of thefemale member B on the awning frame.

side elevation of the re- The female member 6 further includes a reducedsmooth bore 9 which accommodates the shaft 5.

The female member vI5, also the adjacent end of the male member I, haveformed therein circular grooves or channels I0 constituting races forball bearings II. Secured by a screw I2 on the free end of the shaft 5is a disk I3 for retaining the adjacent balls II. The shaft 5 is tapped,as at I4, for the reception of the screw I2. The free end of the shaft 5is further provided with radial grooves I5 which accommodate ribs I Iion the disk I3. Thus, the disk I3 is positively secured against rotationon the shaft 5.

It is thought that the manner in which the tting functions will bereadily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. As hereinbeforeset forth, the male member I is threadedly mounted on the extension rod3 of the awning 4, the internally threaded socket 2 accommodating saidextension rod. The female member 6 is threadedly mounted on thelongitudinal member of the awning frame and secured by tightening theset screws 8. It will thus be seen that the extension rods 3 of theawning are free to swing relative to the longitudinal frame member ofthe awning. The ball bearing construction and arrangement is such as toassure free movement between the elements I and 6 at alll times therebyresulting in smoother action in manipulating the extension rods andpreventing distortion of the awning frame. The use of the fitting alsogreatly facilitates assembling the awning frame. An eye Il is providedon the female member 6 to permit a stabilizing truss rod or cable to beccnveniently connected thereto.

In Figure 9 of the drawin-g, reference numeral I8 designates generally astraight fitting for use with conventional Ts, Ls, etc. Toward this end,the fitting I 8 includes a straight male member I9 having projectinglongitudinally from its outer end a threaded shank 20 which is adaptedto be screwed into a T, L, etc. In other respects the straight fittingI8 is substantially similar in construction and operation to that shownin Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, of the drawing.

It is believed that the many advantages of an awning fitting constructedin accordance with the present invention will be readily understood andalthough preferred embodiments of the device are as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that further modifications and changesin the details of construction may be resorted to which will fall withinthe scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the class described, a ma1e member having a reduced partat one endthereof forming a shaft, the junction of the shaft with therest of the member forming an annular shoulder having an annular groovetherein, a female member having a bore passing therethrough forreceiving the shaft, the inner end of the female member having anannular groove therein located opposite the rst-mentioned groove,bearings in the grooves, said female member having a outer end intowhich the outer end of the shaft projects and said female member havingan annular groove in the bottom of the socket surrounding the outer endof the bore, bearings in the last-mentioned groove, a disk and means fordetachably connecting the disk to the outer end of the shaft with partsof the disk engaging the last-mentioned bearings for holding the same inplace.

socket in its GEORGE FRANK GRUVER.

